Big race, big hearts in Benidorm: €27,000 raised for children with cancer

A major charity race has raised €27,000 for children with cancer and their families after hundreds of people took part in the fourth edition of the ‘En Primera Línea’ event.

The fundraising race took place on Sunday, September 20, bringing participants of all ages together for a morning of running, walking and community spirit.

Organised by the Local Police Socio-Cultural Association and Club Atletismo Benidorm (CAB), the event supports Aspanion, an association providing assistance to children with cancer and their families across the Valencian Community.

The €27,000 raised during this year’s event will be handed directly to Aspanion to support its work.

The charity challenge was also held as part of the city’s programme for European Mobility Week, combining a sporting event with a wider focus on getting people out and active.

Something for everyone

The event began at 9.30am from Plaza de SS. MM. los Reyes de España, with several different ways for people to get involved.

Participants could choose between five and 10-kilometre races, while five-kilometre Nordic walking and walking routes provided alternatives for those who wanted to take part without running.

There were also dedicated children’s races, helping turn the fundraiser into a family event rather than simply a competitive sporting challenge.

The routes followed the city’s seafront, giving participants a chance to run along some of the area’s best-known coastal stretches.

The five-kilometre course headed towards Levante Beach, while the 10-kilometre route continued towards Poniente before returning to the finish line.

A food and drinks bar offering refreshments at popular prices was also set up during the event, helping to create a social atmosphere around the day’s activities.

Runners take on the challenge

For those competing against the clock, the event also produced some impressive performances.

Vicente Solbes of Gladiators Benidorm won the men’s five-kilometre race in 16 minutes and 30 seconds. Jorge Estévez of Club Atletismo Altea finished second in 16:45, followed by independent runner Alexander Mendoza in 16:46.

In the women’s five-kilometre race, Analía Zanichelli took first place in 19:32, followed by Eiynn Verhoeven in 20:19 and Sarah Miguel in 21:20.

The 10-kilometre men’s race was won by Juanan Fernández of Club Atletismo Benidorm in 35:02. His clubmate Pedro Martínez López finished second in 39:16, while Ángel Bañón of Gladiators Benidorm came third in 39:31.

Laura Verhoeven of ACKO won the women’s 10-kilometre race in 41:34, ahead of María Ferriz of Promesas Villena and independent runner Raquel Inguanzo.

€27,000 for Aspanion

Once the sporting events had finished, the focus returned to the reason behind the race as organisers presented Aspanion representatives with a cheque for the money raised.

The charity supports children affected by cancer and their families in the Valencian Community, making the funds collected through the event directly relevant to families facing the challenges of childhood cancer.

Local officials also joined participants during the event, underlining the community-wide nature of the fundraiser.

The presentation of the cheque was followed by the distribution of trophies to runners in the different categories, bringing the fourth edition of ‘En Primera Línea’ to a close.

For the hundreds who took part, however, the morning was about more than finishing times and medals.

It was a chance for runners, walkers, families, volunteers and organisers to come together behind a cause, turning a September sporting event into a €27,000 show of community support for children and families affected by cancer.